Tennis racket guide



Feb. 13, 1940. R. SALEM TENNIS RACKET GUIDE Filed April 4, 1939 a l. 9M? a/J n n i A L ATTORNEY. A(

Patented Feb. 13, 1940 N UNITED STATES TENNIS RoKErGmnE Rudolph Salem, Long Island City, N. Y. applicati@ April 4,. 192.9,"se'ria1 No. 265,889

9 claims. M (o1. 4zia-29) Myy invention relates to a tennis racket guide and more particularly to a device used in combination with a tennis racket and operative to coniine said'racket in denite paths when thev racket is swung. The present invention is concerned with those strokes termed the forehan-d and the backhand,

these comprising the major portion of the strokes employed in the game. In these strokes the racket is usually held about hip high and inclined upwardly so that the striking face of the racket is substantially level with the waist. I have 0bserved and I believe authorities generally agree that at the moment of impact between the racket and the ball, the' striking face of the racket should be substantially perpendicular to the ground sothat the `ball is not deflected either upwardly or downwardly but is forcefully directed substantially parallel to the ground without either attaining excess height lor, striking the net` or ground. Furthermore, the maintenance of the striking face in the desired position abovemen` tioned should be continued in the follow through, this assuring a smooth and accura't xsmash.

Bearing the foregoing in mind it is an object of the present inventionto provide a guide or harness for a tennis racket which` will prevent a consequential deviation from the correct position when swung. v

Another object of my inventionis to provide a guide for a tennis racket which guide maybe utilized with any type of racket and which may be attached thereto without interfering with the manipulation of the racket in the strokes abovementioned.

Another object of my invention is to provide such a guide wherein a simple adjustment is operative to adapt the apparatus to accommodate either the backhand or the forehand strokes.

Other objects of my inventon w11 be apparent from the following description it being understood that the above general statement of the objects of my invention are intended to explain and not to limit it in any manner.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top View of the apparatus, the tennis racket being maintained in the backhand stroke position.

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a View alongthe line 3-3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 1i is a sectional View along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. n

Fig. 5 is a sectional View along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a view alongthe lineG-G of Fig. 3.

The apparatus is secured around the hips of the .userby means of the'strap S, maintained by the buckle B. A member I0 which may be made of metal or plastic is secured to the strap S and connected to said member Il) and strap S is the transverse hinge II.

The extensible arm comprises the plate` I3, 4the outer shaft I4 and the telescoping` inner shaft I5; The plate I 3 `is pivotally connected to the free leaf of the hinge II at I2. i 'd The inner shaft I5 is provided with a longitudinal slotl `ending just short of the end of said slot I5 and a lug I'I formed integral with the outer shaft'id and communicating with said slot operates ,to limitthe outward movement of the inner shaft in relation to the outer shaft. Itwill benoted that the shafts are square in cross-section so that while relative longitudinal movement `is provided for, therecan be no relativelateral movement. Or course.y other expedients can achieve thisresult. n The inner` shaft I5 is bent upwardly atits outer extremity `and is frictionally although removablyretained in the hollow section Illa. Section Ilia. supports the inclined platform I9 which, in

PATENT OFFICEN N .y

conjunction with the lugs 20 and set-.screw 2| operates to'support and maintain the 4handle 22 of the tennis racket R. v My invention is practiced in the following man-y ner: The strap S is applied around the hipsof the user and tightened, the member I0 being `dis posed `between theright hip and the center of the waist. 1 i

The platform I9 is adjusted for the backhand rstroke by "insertingthe hollow section I9a over the inner shaft I5 in such manner that said hollow section I9a is inclined upwardly and the plat-` form I9 `is inclined toward the left as illustrated in Fig. l. The tennis racket is then disposed between the lugs 20 and securely retained thereat by set-screw 2|. l

The guide is now ready for operation and, the main use of the device being in the practice of the gamethe racket may either be swung at an imaginary ball or balls may be directed toward the user either by another person or by a machine.`

It will be noted that during the stroke the racket cannot twist relative to the belt to a substantial degree'because of the square crosssec'` tion of the shafts and the connections between the strap S and the racket. The member. I0

the belt where the tendency of the belt to twist is most likely to occur.

After the device has been used for a short time, its corrective influence is manifested in the tendency of the user to execute the correct stroke even after the device is removed. Thus the device not only is effective in developing the particular muscles that contribute to the correct stroke but it teaches muscular coordination through repeated correct efforts. f

Should it be desired to practice the forehand stroke, the racket together with the platform i9 and hollow section la are removed from the inner shaft l5 and reversed so that the inclination of the `platform i9 is toward theV right of the user.

I have shown a preferred embodiment of m invention but it is obvious that numerous changes and omissions may be made without departing from its spirit. The pivot l2 enables the racket to reach balls which are somewhat higher or lower than the belt. In this event the shafts will twist slightly relative to the belt but such twist is inconsequential.

claim:

1. A 'tennis racket guide comprising an extensible shaft, means on one end of said shaft to connect said shaft to the handle of a tennis racket, a support on the other end of said shaft `to connect said shaft to the body of the operator, and means to prevent the rotation of said shaft about its own axis when said tennis racket is manipulated.

2'. A tennis racket guide comprising a shaft,

mezfzns on one end of said shaft to support a tennis racket in operative position, pivoted means to support said shaft, means to prevent said shaft from rotating about its own axis when said shaft is `pivoted in a plane parallel to the ground, and means to connect said guideto the bodyof the operator whereby the handle of said racket may be grasped and the racket manipulated.

3. A tennis racket guide comprising a belt for'connecting the guide to the body of the operator, a first Vrigid shaft pivotally connected tosaid belt, a second rigid shaft telescoped in respect to said rst rigid shaft, a platform removably connected to said second rigid' shaft, means to prevent rotation of said shafts about their own axes, and means on said platform to secure the handle of a tennis racket thereto.

4. An article of the character described comprising a harness for connecting the article to the body of the operator, a shaft for supporting a tennis racket pivotally connected to said harness, said shaft being nonrotatable about its axis and being extensible wherebiT the tennis racket may be directed toward and away from the body of the operator.

5. An article of the character described comprising a harness for connecting the article to vthe body of the operator, an extensible shaft of rigid material pivotally connected to said harness, means on the end of said shaft to connect a striking implement thereto whereby said striking implement may be grasped and manipulated by the operator and means to limit the path of movement of said shaft and striking implement.

6. A tennis racket guide comprising a plurality of rigid shaft sections telescoped to form an extensible shaft, a support for said extensible shaft, meansto preventy the rotation of said shaft and of said shaft sections about their own axes, means on the end of said shaft to connect the handle of a tennis racket thereto, said extensible shaft being operative to permit the tennis racket to be directed toward and away from the body of the operator when the racket is manipulated.

'7. A tennis racket guide comprising a harness for connecting the guide to the body of the operator, a shaft pivotally connected to said harness, -a second shaft telescoped in respect to said rst shaft, a platform secured to said second 

